Door operating device



Oct. 3, 1967 E. T. EDWARDS 3,344,556

DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed Nov. 18, 1965 SOLENOID United States Patent M 3,344,556 DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Edward T. Edwards, Ossining, N.Y., assiguor to Edwards Power Door Co., Inc., Mount Vernon, NY. Filed Nov. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 508,512 8 Claims. (Cl. 49360) This invention relates generally to the field of door operating devices, and more particularly to an improved means for the automatic opening and closing of sliding doors of horizontal or vertical lift construction. Devices of the present type are known in the art, and the invention lies in specific constructional details permitting improved operation and lower manufacturing costs.

Many sliding doors are arranged for remote control operation, using a motor which imparts movement to the sliding structure. Because of the necessity of moving the door in either of two directions, the motor means has been quite expensive to manufacture since it must provide for reverse operation. Further, because of continuous starting and stopping of the motor where the door must he opened many times during the course of a single day, the trouble-free useful life of the motor has been remarkably short, and frequent replacement of the entire motor is a common occurrence.

It is therefore, among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for moving a shiftable door between either of two positions in which the motor operates in a single direction of rotation irrespective of the direction of movement of the door, thereby eliminating the need for a reversible motor.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved sliding door construction of the class described in which, during extended periods of operation, the motor means may bepermitted to run continuously while the door is temporarily opened, and is interconnected to the door for movement of the latter in either of two directions by means of selectively actuated clutches.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved horizontally moving sliding door construction in which the cost of fabrication may be materially less than that of corresponding prior art devices, and with correspondingly lower servicing cost.

A further object of the present invention comprises structure whereby the said door or doors can be operated electrically, but which will, at all times, be free for manual operation in the event of a power failure.

A feature of this invention contemplates locking of the door or doors in any position of opening or closing by stopping the movement of the chain and engaging both brakes at the same time.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that motive power interconnection to the door is of a frictional type, thus permitting slippage upon the door encountering an obstruction prior to completion of movement within a predetermined path of travel.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation of an embodiment of the inentivon.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation corresponding to the upper central portion of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the side opposite that seen in FIGURE 2.

3,344,556 Patented Oct. 3, 1967 FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectionalview as seen from the plane 44 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic electrical wiring diagram.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a clutch plate and clutch disk forming a brake drum and shoe.

FIGURE 7 is'a reduced elevational view as seen from the plane 7--7 on FIGURE 6.

In accordance with the invention, there is illustrated in FIGURE 1 an embodiment of the invention, generally referred to by reference character 10, the same being installed upon a wall 11 of a building having an opening 12 therein for passage therethrough. A door13 is arranged for movement horizontally to selectively overlie the opening.

Fixedly mounted above and to one side of the opening 12 is a prime mover 14 in the form of an electric motor. As will more fully appear, owing to the associated structure employed, the prime mover 14 rotates in a single direction of rotation, and may be allowed to rotate evenwhen the door 13 is not in motion. The motor 14 includes an output pulley 15 mounted on the armature thereof, the.

is an idler sprocket 21. A sprocket chain 22, forming two continuous parallel segments is reeved about both sprockets 19-21.

Referring to FIGURE 2, the door 13 is supported upon a door-hanging element 23 including a vertical plate 24 having a horizontal flange member 25 and a vertical flange member 26 by means of screws 27. The upper part of the main vertical plate 24 includes means for slidably engaging a horizontally disposed rail 28in well-known manner.

Referring to FIGURE 3, mounted upon an inner surface 29 of the plate 24 is a first or upper solenoid 30, the armature 31 of which connected to a bell crank member 32 mounted to pivot about a pintle 33. The bell crank member 32 includes a vertically disposed arm 34 and an inner crank arm 37 having threaded adjustment means 35 for adjustable contact with a brake arm 40 situated forward of the outer surface 41 (see FIGURE 2). The means 35 may be a spring biased set screw. A one piece expandable brake shoe 28 is best seen in FIGURES 6 and 7 and has holes 63 by which it is loosely supported by pins 64 which are fixed on plate 24, projecting forward therefrom. The brake shoe 28 is preferably composed of phenolic resin impregnated laminated fabric and when relaxed is substantially free of engagement with the inner surface of the brake drum 44. The brake arm 40 carries a cam 36 which lies between the juxtaposed surfaces 65 of the shoe 28. A sprocket 48 is fixedly connected to the drum 44, and as a unit, they rotate freely on a stud shaft 45 fixed to plate 24. Sprocket 48 normally rotates because of its engagement with the chain 22. Upon energization of solenoid 30, bellcrank 32 actuates brake arm 40 which twists cam 36 to set the brake. This locks the drum 44 and hence the sprocket 48. Thus the door 13 then moves along with the chain in the direction the chain segment 22a is traveling. A retaining member 46 overlies the vertical surface 47 of the drum 44 and terminates opposite the.

. trical schematic wiring diagram of the embodiment. A

suitable power source 60 connects to a main switch 61 which energizes the prime mover 14, and supplies current to a single pole double throw switch 62 which provides current in a selective manner to the solenoids 30 and 30a.

Limit switches 163 and 164 interrupt current to the solenoid when the door 13 reaches the end of the path of travel. Should the door strike an object disposed within the path of travel, the frictional engagement of the braking means allows slipping of the same without damage. When neither solenoid is energized, the prime mover 14 may be permitted to rotate, during which time the chain 22 moves on the sprocket 21 and the sprockets 48 and 48a. Energizing either solenoid results in braking the drum 42 or drum 42a, whereby the motion of the engaged continuous segment is transmitted to the door hanging ele-.

ment 23. Motor 14 may have a Well known no voltage automatic brake so switch 61 can lock the door.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, that where desired, the sprockets 19, 21, 48, and 48a may be substituted by V-type pulleys, and the sprocket chain 22 by a corresponding flexible V-belt. The expression sprocket and sprocket chain when used throughout this specification, will be understood to mean the equivalent belt structure.

It is to be understood that it is not considered that invention lies within the specific details of structure shown and described in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

What is claimed is:

1. A reciprocating actuating means comprising: a unidirectional rotational prime mover, a sprocket driven by said prime mover, a first idler sprocket, sprocket chain means reeved about said driven and idler sprockets and forming first and second parallel continuous chain segments, therebetween, bracket means, second and third actuator sprockets mounted for rotation upon said bracket means, each engaging one of said first and second parallel chain segments, and selectively operable means for preventing rotational movement of said second and third actuator sprockets.

2. Structure in accordance with claim 1, including a door having a horizontally disposed edge, said bracket means being disposed upon said door and extending laterally from said edge.

3. Structure in accordance with claim 2, in which said means for preventing rotational movement of said second and third actuator sprockets includes first and second solenoids mounted upon and moving with said bracket unit means.

4. Structure as claimed in claim 1, in which the last mentioned means includes an internal friction material expanding brake shoe connected and actuated by an electric solenoid.

5. Structure as claimed in claim 1, in which said last mentioned means includes an expandable friction material brake shoe, a cam, and a solenoid with said cam actuated by said solenoid to expand said brake shoe.

6. Structure as claimed in claim 5, the said cam movement being adjustable, whereby the power transmitted to the door can be controlled.

7. Structure as claimed in claim 3, including means to lock the door in partly open or closed position by energizing the brake solenoids, both at the same time, while stopping the chain.

8. Structure as claimed in claim 1, in which said last mentioned means includes a brake drum enclosing an expandable brake shoe, said drum driven by a coaxial sprocket fixedly connected thereto and engaging said chain.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,324,587 12/1919 Elliott 49360 1,632,237 6/ 1927 Lemon 49360 3,172,651 3/1965 Wilson 49360 3,263,367 8/1966 Tanaka 49362 X FOREIGN PATENTS 854,522 11/1960 Great Britain.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. I. KARL BELL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A RECIPROCATING ACTUATING MEANS COMPRISING: A UNIDIRECTIONAL ROTATIONAL PRIME MOVER, A SPROCKET DRIVEN BY SAID PRIME MOVER, A FIRST IDLER SPROCKET, SPROCKET CHAIN MEANS REEVED ABOUT SAID DRIVEN AND IDLER SPROCKETS AND FORMING FIRST AND SECOND PARALLEL CONTINUOUS CHAIN SEGMENTS, THEREBETWEEN, BRACKET MEANS, SECOND AND THIRD ACTUATOR SPROCKETS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION UPON SAID BRACKET MEANS, EACH ENGAGING ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PARALLEL CHAIN SEGMENTS, AND SELECTIVELY OPERATABLE MEANS FOR PREVENTING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND AND THIRD ACTUATOR SPROCKETS. 